1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a streaming delivery technology, and in particular to a streaming delivery technology for delivering contents while switching between a group of contents generated more frequently such as news programs and a group of contents generated less frequently such as movie programs.
2. Description of the Related Art
A streaming delivery system related to the present invention has been proposed, in which video contents are classified into two groups consisting for example of a combination of live broadcasting service and news delivery service and a combination of actual contents and advertisement contents so that delivery is performed according to the selected group.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-73673 describes a system designed to share a user's preference keyword for detecting contents between a live broadcasting service and a news delivery service. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-140584 describes a system designed to deliver and play back an advertisement content while temporarily interrupting the delivery and playback of an actual content. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-227108 describes a system which delivers recorded programs and advertisement information.
While some contents such as movies, dramas, documentaries, and music programs do not require prompt delivery so much, some contents such as news which are generated constantly should desirably be positively notified to users without delay after the generation thereof.
According to such systems related to the present invention, however, even if latest news becomes available for delivery during delivery of a movie, for example, the users are not allowed to be aware of that fact.